During the October tournament, women reporters from several Arab TV sports desks will be trained in producing exciting and innovative stories to help make women’s football more popular in the Arab world. The journalists come from those nations taking part in the “Women’s Football Cup ARABIA 2010” – Syria, Bahrain, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine.

Arab media devote a considerable amount of space to reporting on sports but are only beginning to discover women’s football. Television – the most popular mass media – usually limits its coverage to goals, score counts and statistics.

During the “Women’s Football Cup ARABIA 2010”, taking place 18 October – 28 October, TV viewers will learn more. The tournament itself reflects the drive of young women all over the Arab world, from the Atlantic to the Gulf. In the run-up to next year’s Women’s World Cup 2011 to be held in Germany, the winning team will receive exclusive training organized by the German Football Association and the German Olympic Sports Confederation. Women in the Arab world are becoming increasingly enthusiastic about women’s football and the game is building bridges between Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Participants in the DW-AKADEMIE workshop will tell stories from the world of women’s football. Stories that interest a broader public by not just focusing on the ball, but also on the people on the field and the sidelines, on their struggles, failures and triumphs.

This is a hands-on production workshop. The participants will produce regular TV sports reports prior to and during the games, but will also focus on background reports, portraits and interviews. They’ll be coached by experienced Deutsche Welle trainers and TV sports reporters.

The workshop is sponsored by the German Foreign Ministry.